Population and biodiversity insights
The raging monster upon the land is population growth. In its presence, sustainability is but a fragile theoretical construct. To say, as many do, that the difficulties of nations are not due to people but to poor ideology or land-use management is sophistic. -- E.O. Wilson
The materials on the "core ecological issues" page point to why it is critical we preserve biodiversity and protect the health of ecosystems. We are in the midst of the sixth mass extinction event in Earth's history. This one is human-caused. To mitigate its impact we must pursue direct protection of wildlife and habitat while we do what we can to address the size and growth of the human population. (See the closely related "problem of agriculture" on the "core ecological issues" page.) These links may be of help in understanding some biodiversity and population issues.
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The Sixth Extinction
The current "Sixth Mass Extinction" is now widely acknowledged by the scientific community. Failure to stop this catastrophe will be devstating. Experts point to its obvious link to human population growth - a link rarely mentioned in the media.-
From a press release from the American Museum of Natural History
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Jeffrey McKee, professor of anthropology, Ohio State University, on the direct link between the size and growth of the human population and the Sixth Extinction. See his book on the "recommended books" page.
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Excellent short film from the Species Alliance.
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The CBD recently stepped forward as the ONLY sizable environmental organization in the US taking a serious stand for the truth concerning overpopulation. Their focus, of course, is on the link to habitat and species loss.
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Solid, clear, and uncompromising information from the Dave Foreman. Don't overlook the links as you scroll down.
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Incisive editorial by University of Rhode Island ecologist Fred Meyerson. Original published in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment: http://www.frontiersinecology.org/
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Ehrlich speaks clearly on the problem in this interview from Science Friday on the US's National Public Radio. Note his well justified criticism of scientists, heads burried in the minutia of their research, avoiding speaking out on the issue.
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One of the best overviews of the issue from Niles Eldredge. Note the problem of agriculture in initiating the acceleration of extinction rates.
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It's not only the lost of species that matters, but the drop in numbers within species. This lowers genetic diversity and has other serious effects. This BBC article offers some sobering statistics.
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More sobering data, these from Guardian science correspondent Ian Sample.
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Population ecology
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Russ Hopfenberg's site. Information on the shamefully ignored fact that human population growth is at base the direct result of increases in the global food supply. Adds well to the discussions in Daniel Quinn's books (see book section).
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Important discussion clearing up common misconceptions concerning the population/food supply link. Contains key insights which, if understood, may help silence the common knee-jerk assertion that Quinn, Thornhill, and others are wrong on the issue.
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The population taboo
How population became a taboo topic and the impact that has had.-
Project I created, now coordinated by the Population Institute, specifically to help weaken the taboo against public discussin of overpopulation by bringing new voices to bear on the issue. Endorsed by a distinguished group.
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Major report from the UK, with input from scores of experts, concludes the loss of attention to population has been a major setback. Includes good, readable discussion of how attention turned away from population following the 1994 Cairo Conference.
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Detailed examination with a focus on the US, but with observations applicable worldwide.
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Population solutions
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Girls' education is key. This is an informative document from the Population Reference Bureau
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The is the method used by the Population Media Center. It can influence such things as desired fetility and use of family planning services. It's results have been tested and documented in multiple studies.
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Lestor Brown describes the dramatic successes of Thailand and Iran in reducing fertility rates by implementing simple, low cost programs.
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Illuminating talk from Martha M. Campbell of the School of Public Health, U.C. Berkeley. Covers not only reasons for the silence but key findings on what works in addressing population. Emphasis here on access to family planning.
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Debunking population myths
Efforts to dismiss the importance of population have evolved into a myth-filled lore. A little logic undoes it.-
A pair of essays I wrote for my prior site. (See my Guardian piece, "Return of the population timebomb," for an even more concise presentation.)
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Bill Ryerson of the Population Media Center on an array of myths. Interesting section on proposed solutions highlights the need for PMC's approach.
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Other population links
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By J. Kenneth Smail, professor emeritus of anthropology, Kenyon College. This article focuses on the scale of population decline we may now need and the time urgency involved, having neglected the issue for so long.
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Video of Al Bartlett's famous talk.
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Tiroir A Films Productions, makers of "The Great Squeeze," are now producing this film which promises to help break down the population taboo by laying out a balanced set of available solutions. Watch their site for updates.
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A post in which I gathered together the official statements on population, recent and past, from an assortment of scientific groups (and a group of world leaders).
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Solid and original overview site from Kurt Dahl, the author of The Eden Proposition (see book links). Unique "top ten" lists.
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The work of research team, Thomas Dietz, Eugene A. Rosa , and Richard York. Top notch research on population impacts.
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